Okay, now I think we’ve covered all of the bases when it comes to modifying devices to use them as Skype peripherals. Reader Mad Matt chopped up a pair of toy walkie talkies so that he could build a wireless headset to use with his computer. Although he doesn’t mention VOIP, there are only a few other things this could be used for. Of note is that he used a usb connector between the headset and the receiver/transmitter so that he could have a quick disconnect if needed. If we kill Matt’s free hosting you can try the Coral Cache.
another skype mod: http://ishtar.dyne.org/~lobo/skype.jpg
this one is based on an old rotary phone from SIP (italian telco) – it sorta pokia for voip ;)
Bandwidth Exceeded.
The DingoTel adapter is pretty kickin too. Incase you haven’t seen it yet, it can be found here http://www.dingotel.com/2way/index.asp
and by the way it’s cheaper to buy it on Amazon then anywhere else (last time I looked).
I did some investigating and the adapter is just a USB soundcard. You could probably also use a regular soundcard and a 1/8th inch stereo to two 1/8th inch mono plugs. Plug the stereo end into the VOX walkie talkie, then one 1/8th to your soundcards mic, the other to the speaker.
This way, when audio is sent to your speaker, it key’s the VOX circuit, and when you send audio to that walkie talkie (via another talkie) it send audio through the mic. Also be aware I think it’s illegal to transmit telephone conversations or music over FRS in the US.
But then again, VoIP is not a true telephone conversation.
nice hack i really needed this.
as for #3 on FRS, hes right of saying that voip is not a true phone conv. FCC specifies that its illegal using it interconnected (key word here) with public network system. is voip a public network system? i think not. bring on teh frs range hacks!
thanks for the cache link ;)
i really want to get into VoIP and set up a nice asterisk PBX or something. That would be cool.
the site comes up, but the pictures wont show.:(
As for the FRS comment. That is Illegal, but some where it might not be, so lets pretend this story comes from there.
I should submit this actually. What I did was take 2 Cheap Cobra FRS radios and a Small VOX Circuit. “someone” modified the radios to accept external antennas (illegal) and attached a Homemade J-Pole to the roof of the house. I modified the vox unit so that it can use the Microphone and speaker jack off the computer.
Ie. say even the radio makes a “Ding”, it will key up the radio and transmit then dekey.
The FRS’s can now be used for VOIP, Voice Chat.. anything like that really.
I even turned it into a repeater to increase distance.
I’ve had a 500mw radio transmit many many more then the rated miles.
Hmm, sorry about this folks, all i have at the moment is this as hosting. I’m moving to a new server at some point curtesy of a freind, but its not set up yet.
Mike:
http://flickr.com/photos/14208012@N00/26604496/
Uploaded my modified VOX unit to flickr.
mad matt: would you mind setting up a flickr page or some links to imageshack.us to get us the photos? the coral cache doesn’t have the pictures
Hey Matt, maybe I should host your mod on my site eh? We’ll talk on MSN.
Here you go folks, I used my (limited) HTML knowlege to put this together and got it hosted by another free hoster, but with better bandwidth this time.
If possible, could the hackaday guys change the link to this one?
http://storm.elxx.net/Mad_Matt/speaker%20site.htm
I would love to see a bluetooth stereo headset with a mic! I’ve searched. I don’t think one exists.
Stereo for listening to music, mic for using Skype.
Hacking FRS is fun and easy.
I use it for a DTMF link on my ROV!
Inexpensive Homemade Computer Microphone http://geocities.com/tpsbpl/computer_mic.htm
hey i wanna build this, i have the exact same walkie talkies too. but can anyone tell me if it would give out stereo or mono audio.
want to add DTMF to my FRS radios to use for control of an ROV. would appreciate info. on how to do it!
Does anyone know of a circuit to increase the mic sensitivity of an frs radio ? thanks
Hmm music over FRS, illegal maybe but who cares i played music on an frs and it sounded great now if someone can hook one of these to a computer and have a mini radio station, but use an frs that has the scrambler codes. lol hook an FRS up to an ipod, hey hey turn it up beep BEEP Loudest-> BEEP ::music blaring from frs lol, oh and play some rap music three six mafia, 50 cent, ludacris or whatever music you want. i gotta stay fly-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y <--three six mafia song, yes it was playing as i was typing this
Bluetooth wireless headsets are cheap enough nowadays that you don’t need to hack up a old walkie talkie headset for this..
I would love to see blue tooth headsets for use with skype but although there is support for there headphones there mics won’t work with computers as far as i know and this is one mod i will be doing in order to have a wireless headset its the only way i could find of doing this and its a great solution can’t wait to do it.
Has anyone HACHED the Dingo Tell units there cheep but the company went under so there is no server to go through?
Inexpensive Microphone
http://onlinetps.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=76&products_id=510
I hate to resurrect and 10-year old thread…. however… if you have a DINGOTEL dongle there is still hope for it after the company went belly up. Just plug it in the USB port. It will come up as a C-Media Headphone Set. Go to CONTROL PANEL/SOUNDS and rename the control as “DingoTel”. Then get ZELLO.com. In the Options Tools you can set the audio to DINGOTEL for microphone and speaker. Then get yourself an old Motorola TalkAbout (or any 3 prong subminture 2.5mm jack walkie-talkie), Set the Zello VOX to on. Turn on the walkie-talie’s VOX (may not need it because I think DingoTel has built in vox). Set up a ZELLO group with any name you want that;s not in use. Tell your friends to get ZELLO (its free) and have them join the ZELLO group (also free). Now you have a ZELLO radio gateway repeater. If you have another walkie-talkie then you have a remote headset type device. You don’t need Zello if all you want is a remote headset device. The DingoTel will serve as your soundcard and the audio will be routed to your walkie-talkie. Do not load the old DingoTel software. It is now useless to you since the server has now been dead for about a decade.
Just found an old DingoTel 2 way USB device in a box after a move. Does anyone know the audio pinouts for it? Anyone know if it would work on Linux? Link to drivers?